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ISSUE . August 20th, 2009

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Cover Story

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The Secret Lives of Artists

Eight local artists tell us how they pay the bills.

by Molly Eichel

The following profiles peek behind the curtain, revealing how artists' day jobs affect their work and vice versa. More specifically, they reveal how eight local artists make enough dough to get up in the morning and create paint, make music or simply entertain us.

Kamilu Alebiosu

Painter / Parking lot attendant

From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, he is just a parking attendant, making $8 per hour. On the weekends, though, Alebiosu is a painter.

Rika Hawes

Sculptor / Community college professor, house-sitter at Strawberry Mansion

Living rent-free is a plus for an artist, especially one who makes no money from her artwork — which she started to take seriously when she got over the fact that she didn't need to be able to draw to create.

Anna Frangiosa

Burlesque dancer / Stripper

When she's sitting in a coffee shop, she's Anna Frangiosa. Onstage, in either capacity, she's someone else entirely.

Dave Smolen

Experimental musician / Projectionist at Ritz at the Bourse

For Dave Smolen, having a day job is all about time. Because he has less of it, he's becoming a better, more focused musician.

Carolynne McNeel

Musician, jewelry designer, Mew Gallery co-owner / Art teacher, bartender

Carolynne McNeel is the quintessential multi-hyphenate.

Bruce Walsh

Playwright / Freelance journalist

Walsh was always a writer, even though he's mildly dyslexic, which led him to having his work performed and acted out.

Kevin Glaccum

Producing artistic director / Bartender / Standardized patient

It wasn't until a mini-midlife crisis around 1999 that he went back into theater.

Bobby Zankel

Jazz musician / Music teacher at the State Correctional Institution at Chester

Zankel, now 59, never had a full-time job until he started working in the prison system 10 years ago.

Opinion

Editor's Letter:

The Naked Bike Ride

Streaking to the finish.

by Brian Howard

The ideas behind riding naked are numerous and ranging in the degree to which riding naked is required.

Loose Canon:

Civil Skies, Mean Streets

I'm fine flying a little plane up the Hudson; I'm terrified to bike down Pine.

by Bruce Schimmel

While I'm perfectly comfortable flying a little plane up the Hudson, I'm downright scared to take a bike down Pine. Really.

Feedback:

Letters to the Editor

What You Say

"To think you're actually giving these people a voice and displaying their radical ideas in your paper is sickening."

News

ICE Cold

Interacting with the Philly PD becomes more troubling for undocumented immigrants.

by Daniel Schwartz

ICE says that Secure Communities targets those illegal immigrants guilty of committing serious crimes. But immigrant advocates say the program will thrust lower-level offenders and innocent people behind bars, and hinder police in their work with immigrant communities.

The Bell Curve

City Paper's Quality-o-Life-o-Meter

When news breaks in Philadelphia, we make jokes.

Sports:

Dear PETA

What do you want from Michael Vick?

by E. James Beale

In our society, dog-fighting is illegal. Rightfully so. Also in our society, once a person passes through the justice system and is deemed fit to re-enter, he has the right to earn a living at whatever profession suits his skill. Michael Vick's profession is football.

Icepack

Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.

by A.D. Amorosi

If the rush of moist heat finds you obsessively staring into your television — gazing into Michael Vick's eyes, guessing which words are his and which are his lawyer's — you're not alone.

A Million Stories

Attack of the West Philly raccoons | Red takes on Black in Mount Airy

Arts

Art:

The After Party

Laurel Hill Cemetery's got big plans for the dearly departed.

by A.D. Amorosi

In the cemetery's current incarnation, dark realities are turned into dark humor, enabling us to enjoy life before time's up.

Arts Picks:

Duane Swierczynski

Tue., Aug. 25, 6 p.m., free, McGillin's Olde Ale House, 1310 Drury St., 215-735-5562, mcgillins.com.

by Matt Jakubowski

Buy a comic book, get a free beer. That's the deal from Duane Swierczynski, Philly pulp novelist, former City Paper editor in chief and veteran writer for Marvel Comics.

Total Abstraction

Through Aug. 30, free, Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Ave., 215-247-0476, woodmereartmuseum.org.

by Shaun Brady

Abstraction is a rather, well, abstract concept on which to hang an exhibition, but Woodmere recognizes its position on the border between city and suburbs, offering a show that balances treasures for the initiated and hand-holding for the trepidatious.

Henry IV, Part I

Through Aug. 30, free, Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, 2111 Sansom St., 215-496-8001, phillyshakespeare.org

by Brion Shreffler

Before he becomes king, Prince Hal gives his dear old dad a few headaches. He drinks, brawls and hangs out with all manner of slatterns and washerwomen.

Art:

Poe Boys

Brat Productions' Michael Alltop talks scary Edgar stuff.

by A.D. Amorosi

"It is almost certain that Poe visited Laurel Hill as it was a popular, park-like destination for city-dwellers in his time. And many of his contemporaries, friend and foe alike, are probably buried there."

Re-View:

Use Your Illusion

Robin Rice on Visual Art: The Vitreous: Of Eyes & Optics at Esther M. Klein Gallery

by Robin Rice

No one will ever confuse Dan's work with a clever science display.

Kaleidoscope

B.C. Camplight | Matt Saracen | Fuck You, Penguin | RiffTrax

Arts Picks:

Metropolis

Fri., Aug. 21, 8:30 p.m., $10, BYOB, Cinema 16:9, 35 N. Lansdowne Ave., Lansdowne, 484-461-7676, cinema169.com.

by John Vettese

The soul-crushing capitalist dystopia predicted in 1927's ber-canonized Metropolis didn't entirely come to pass.

Movies

Basterdized

The epic, overstuffed Inglourious Basterds is WWII through a Tarantino lens.

by Sam Adams

Tarantino is more interested in tailoring the WWII movie to fit his preoccupations than the other way around. He even manages to satisfy his foot fetish by having an errant high heel play a pivotal role in the climactic sequence.

Cold Souls

City Paper Grade: C+

by Shaun Brady

Paul Giamatti plays Paul Giamatti — wait, scratch that. Paul Giamatti plays "Paul Giamatti" in Sophie Barthes' navel-gazing debut comedy.

Repertory Film

Your weekly guide to local film events, festivals and under-the-radar screenings.

Send repertory film listings to molly.eichel@citypaper.net.

Music

Reconsider Me:

Fly Away

Sugar Ray's Floored and Music for Cougars

by M.J. Fine

If you were a Sugar Ray fan in 1997, you were definitely not mature, no matter what your driver's license claimed.

Music Picks:

Jaguar Wright

Wed., Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m., $25-$40, with taragirl, The Rebel Yell, Dannis Anderson, Jessy Kyle, A. Dot, DJ Randy Flash and DJ Imperial B, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

by Deesha Dyer

A survivor of the local neo-soul movement, the fierce Jaguar Wright has been flicking ears ever since she showed up on an MTV stage with the Roots and Jay-Z.

Vivian Girls

Wed., Aug. 26, 6:30 p.m., $10, with The Beets, The Barbary, 951 N. Frankford Ave., 866-468-7619, r5productions.com.

by M.J. Fine

At three and a half minutes, "When I'm Gone," the first single from Everything Goes Wrong is more than a minute longer than eight of the 10 songs on Vivian Girls' deliciously bite-size debut.

Francisco Mela

Tue., Aug. 25, 8 p.m., $13, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

by Shaun Brady

Maybe it's time to just retire the "Latin jazz" tag once and for all. Yes, Francisco Mela was born and raised in Cuba, and the island's rhythms inflect his drumming as naturally as its accent does his speech.

S PRCSS

Sun., Aug. 23, 8 p.m., $8-$10, with Enon and Instamatic, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com.

by John Vettese

Emerging from a lengthy hiatus, semi-local trio S PRCSS no longer finds itself in an world where writers use nebulous descriptors like "angular" and people know exactly what they mean.

Father Figures

Sat., Aug. 22, 9 p.m., $10, with Blood Warrior, Untitled Original, Lucy Michelle & The Velvet Lapelles and Preacher, Danger Danger Gallery, 5013 Baltimore Ave., myspace.com/dangerdangergallery; Sun., Aug. 23, 8 p.m., $5, Gojjo, 4540 Baltimore Ave., scifiphilly.com.

by Shaun Brady

A couple of generations removed from jazz's last claim to the title of "popular music," it's inevitable that young musicians started out with something that had a chance of getting played on the radio.

Avant

Sat., Aug. 22, 8 p.m., $38.50, with K'Jon and Melonie Fiona, Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215-572-7650, keswicktheatre.com.

by Deesha Dyer

Unfortunately for Avant, the R&B singer emerged at a time when the market was flooded with male voices.

Total Fucking Destruction

Thu., Aug. 20, 8 p.m., $5, with Cannabis Corpse and The Dark Lords of Stonehurst, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com.

by A.D. Amorosi

When I heard Enucleation Records was putting out Peace, Love and Total Fucking Destruction on clear vinyl, I had my doubts.

Food

Fizzing the Ginger

Four great ways to make your own ginger ale — and one terrible one.

by Trey Popp

If you're a ginger ale lover, you may be surprised to find out just how easy it is to make your own. If you're a hater, doing it yourself is the best way to end up with something you actually want to drink.

Feed My Worried Mind

Leila Café

by David Snyder

When Mohamad Kammoun explained to my table that he served "the best falafel not just in Philadelphia, but possibly the world," I was a bit skeptical.

What's Cooking

Get Out!

by Lauren Fleming

Burpee's Harvest Festival | Third Anniversary Party at Bar Ferdinand | Farm-to-Table Tour and Dinner at Fork | Root Tasting Dinner at Alfa | Heirloom Tomato Festival at Terrain

Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

Tiffin etc. | Meritage | Verdad

Agenda

Agenda Lead:

Femme Fatale

Maggie Cee and her troupe fiddle with gender roles.

by Kristen Humbert

"I think for folks who haven’t necessarily thought about gender and queer identity before, they might come away with a message about the importance of finding your own voice and being yourself."

Agenda Picks:

John Oliver

Wed., Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m., $20, Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St., 215-496-9001, heliumcomedy.com.

by Chelsea Calhoun

"I started doing [standup] straight after I left college in 1998, as I thought it would be a terrifying thing to try. Turned out, it was like being frightened to try heroin — trying it, and then getting hooked on it for the rest of your life."

Shopping Spree

Fashion > Forward: Old City's Forbidden Planett

by Felicia D'Ambrosio

If Zooey Deschanel and Marilyn Monroe had been college roommates, their shared closet might've looked like the treasure chests hidden underground at Old City's Forbidden Planett.

Agenda Picks:

Crafts for a Cause

Sun., Aug. 23, noon-6 p.m., free, Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St., 215-573-3234, therotunda.org.

by Kyle Press

This fundraiser will bring in 30 vendors from the tri-state area, who'll peddle items including LPs that've been recycled into dishes, organic dog treats, vegan human treats and playful skirts and brooches from local brand Chloe and Boo.

Drag Race Pub Crawl

Sat., Aug. 22, 5-10 p.m., $10 donation, starts at Woody's Bar & Restaurant, 202 S. 13th St., 215-609-5122, phillygryphons.org.

by Lauren Fleming

To fund the gay-friendly team's trip to the 2010 Bingham Cup, they're throwing a gender-bending pub crawl.

The Dude Hates Cancer Bowling Fundraiser

Sat., Aug. 22, 2 -9 p.m., free for spectators (bowling team registration is closed), North Bowl, 909 N. Second St., 215-238-2695; after-party, 8 p.m., $10, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 215-739-9684; thedudehatescancer.com.

by Brion Shreffler

The award for the bowling team that raises the most money is something The Dude would certainly approve of: $375 worth of booze.

The Real Housewives of Philadelphia

Fri., Aug. 21, 10 p.m., $10-$15, The Actors Center, 257 N. Third St., 215-253-4276, phillyncrowd.com.

by Brion Shreffler

Now that local comedy troupe The N Crowd is basing its new act on upper-class housewives, Burberry shoppers may want toss their heels and run for cover.